I'm Only Human: Tsuruko Arc
by Yuelyn the Vampire
Summary: Immediately takes place at the end of "I'm Only Human". This first of multiple sequels  endings/character pairings  will revolve around Tsuruko and Keitaro. Chapter Seven has been submitted.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One - Tsuruko Arc: The Violet Swords

Tsuruko had been through much heartache in the past several months. She couldn't discern the emotions she was feeling. Was she exhausted because she was angry or angry because she was exhausted. The mission she was currently working on has pushed her to the end of her rope. While she was here on this assignment, Motoko was suffering.

It almost seemed to be a dream when Tsuruko was told the news. Keitaro had been kicked out of the Hinata Apartments and in that short time frame, her dear sister had descended into a torment of her own making. Tsuruko was still unsure of what exactly happened to spark this chain of events, but she was absolutely sure that Motoko needed her more than ever.

Yet here she was, in this city of filth to complete a mission. Though the Shinmei-ryuu's purpose is to exorcise demons and the like, there is an elite group of people called the Violet Swords that take on dangerous missions from protection to assassination. This time, the mission was to locate and kidnap a certain gangster and hand her over to the Estonian government. It sounded simple enough, but finding was very difficult. In addition, the gangsters loyal to the target were far from ordinary.

At first glance, the scouts seemed to be placed all over the place, but in reality they were stationed at strategic points. Almost as if they were expecting them, which was impossible. Informing their employers, Tsuruko had asked about who her team was dealing with, but to no avail. All she was told was to wait until they signaled for assistance. Rather than being angry, Tsuruko concentrated on her worries, namely Motoko.

It was hard for Tsuruko to think of any kind of reason that would make the girls, especially Motoko, to turn on Keitaro. When she first met him, she thought he was average and therefore normal, but soon after Tsuruko's opinion changed. For _that _Motoko to trust a man enough to keep up such an obvious farce, was truly unexpected. As for Keitaro, he was a different quality of man. Rather than being a go-getter as it were, he was a natural supporter. If a difficult situation would arise for any of the girls, he would be there no matter what. Simply, he put the people important to him first.

But Keitaro was gone now and no one has any idea where he went. Tsuruko was sure that Motoko had deeply regretted her decision and that was why she was suffering. Even if Tsuruko were by Motoko's side, she knew that only the immediate presence of Keitaro would give her peace. However, that was easier said than done. No one knows where Keitaro was. It was as though he disappeared off the face of the earth. Tsuruko didn't want to think about it, but one possibility was that he was no longer in this world. If that was the case, Motoko would have to live with tormented regret for the rest of her life...

Such things were not meant to be contemplated in such crucial times though. She had to stay frosty focused. Carelessness invites death. This was the night when her employers finally make their move. As usual, they were vague as to what they were supposed to be looking for. Tsuruko and her team stationed themselves a few blocks from the "Valkyrie Host". The place scarcely had a bird's eye view of the targeted building, but this was so they were at a safe distance and still close enough to take action. However, Tsuruko wasn't the only one frustrated with their current situation.

"This is ridiculous Nee-san." said Asuka. "We're being treated as grunts. Can't you do something?" Tsuruko turned away from the window and glanced at the pink short haired girl. Unlike most of the Aoyama clan, Asuka staunchly rejected the traditional appearance of all clan members. Instead the traditional hakama, she dresses in all black with silver accessories from head to toe. Asuka is frustrated with her place in the world, to put it lightly.

"Perhaps under favorable circumstances, these are less than adequate circumstances, Asuka." Tsuruko replied. "This type of assignment is also a new experience for me as well."

"No shit about this mission, Nee-san. We get in and get out with enough time to make it back usually."

"Don't forget who you're talking to, you punk." said Subaru. "Tsuruko-sama is what we all aspire to be, show respect." Perhaps the epitome of the clan's customs, Subaru exudes the poise of an Aoyama. She's the typical practitioner of the Shinmeiryu, but far more dedicated. Tsuruko believes that she has the potential to rival Motoko, which makes Subaru a force to be reckoned with.

"It's alright, Subaru we're all frustrated with this standstill in the operation."

"Yeah, so back of you Aoyama-maniac." Asuka said in anger.

"I'd rather not dirty my hands, it would be a disgrace." Subaru retorted.

"Knock it off you two." ordered Reina. "Before I give you a spanking and you know I'll do it too." The oldest swordswoman in this group, Reina is known for her wittiness. Reina is the most senior agent of the Violet Swords. Even in her early forties, Reina is still one of the best agents of the Shinmeiryu.

"Anything, Reina?" Tsuruko asked.

"I checked the perimeter around the Valkyrie Host and it looks like someone is moving. A fairly large group is making their way towards our target." Reina answered.

"Yes, that's got to be the signal!" In exuberance, Asuka stood up.

"But we can't be sure, we haven't been contacted." Subaru pointed out.

"It's your call Tsuruko." said Reina.

"The fact that someone is moving towards are target makes me feel uneasy, but we also have to remember that we must keep to the shadows until the pivotal moment... What do you think?"

Tsuruko deliberated.

"Like I said, it's up to you. Personally, I'd rather move now. This mission is more difficult because we need to obtain the target and deliver the person unharmed."

"I disagree with Reina-sama. If our employers find out that we moved without their consent, it will bring shame upon the clan." said Subaru.

"Come on, we've been stuck here forever. I need some action!" Asuka shrieked.

_"Better to ask for forgiveness than permission."_ Tsuruko thought. After all, she really wasn't the patient type either. "Fasten your swords, we're moving out."

* * *

><p>Alright, so I'm putting up the first chapter of the first of multiple sequels. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, put it up in the form of a review. ~Yuelyn the Vampire<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two - Tsuruko Arc: Disarm Me (With Your Friendship)

"This is really fucked up, Nee-san!" Asuka screeched.

"Just stay behind cover!" Tsuruko had to shout back. But Asuka was right, this was pandemonium. In all her years of experience, she's never seen such an outbreak of carnage like this. Bloodshed never made her squeamish, but this onslaught of violence made her break out in a cold sweat. Modern warfare was bloodcurdling and unceremoniously loud.

"We can't get close to the target like this! We need to find a backdoor of some kind!" Reina recommended.

"I warned you that we needed to wait!" said Subaru. "For the Violet Swords to be frightened, such a disgrace."

"Shut the fuck up, you bitch! You're not helping!" Asuka said colorfully.

All four of them we're pinned in a narrow crevice between two buildings and in the midst of bullets in the air, things were also randomly exploding. Tsuruko calmly tried to think about a way turn this situation around. She looked up into the night sky and found her answer.

"We've got to get to the roof! You three get up there while I distract them!" Not waiting for an answer, Tsuruko rushed into the fray. "Messatsu Zanku Zanmasen - Annihilation Air and Evil-Cutting Flash!" Concentrating her chi, Tsuruko unleashes a giant blast of energy, quickly dispatching the immediate threats. Tsuruko runs to the opposite side of the street and leapes onto the roof of the building. In that split second, she decides to go on ahead of the team. Tsuruko needed to remain unnoticed while still making her way towards the Valkyrie Host. Flash stepping from roof to roof, she stood in front of the five story building, but she wouldn't be able to make the jump from where she stood.

"Jakuzankusen - Lesser Air-Cutting Flash!" Yet with no fear, Tsuruko shatters the outside glass and dives into the third floor.

She glanced outside and saw the others trying stay out of sight on the opposite building. Tsuruko retreated further away from the window, avoiding incoming gunfire. She was spotted and therefore unable to make her way to the roof via flash stepping up the building. Looking around, she noticed the sign "EXIT" over one of the doors. Opening it slowly, peeking through the crack, she realized that it was a staircase. She moved back instantly, avoiding the barrage of bullets.

Tsuruko sensed eight men within the staircase. They were arranged in such a way that was similar to a choke formation. Why she didn't sense them before, disoriented her a bit. But if they were taking strategic positions here, that means that something important was at the end.

"Shin Raikoken - The True Lightning Sword!" Infusing her sword with chi, Tsuruko unleashes an explosion of lightning though the wall, instantly removing the two men at the door. She quickly dashed through the hole and up the staircase. "Zankusen - Air-Cutting Flash!" Releasing her chi in circular fashion, Tsuruko made quick work of the two goons above her.

Reaching the top of the staircase Tsuruko senses two people on the roof. One was crouched a few meters away from the door and the other one was at the edge of the roof. Surprising her enemies by destroying the door may be her best chance, but she couldn't be sure which one she needed to grab. Logic tells her that the one on the edge of the roof would be the target, but she can't be absolutely sure about the other one either. Deciding to knock out both, Tsuruko gets ready.

"Hyakka Ryoran - Many Flowers Blooming in Profusion!" With concentrated intensity, Tsuruko unleashes a blast of chi that spirals in a straight line, blowing the door back and thrusting the first person backwards, but is somehow stopped on him. From that instant, the second person turns around and shoots from a very long gun. Unable to move, Tsuruko could only feel the sheer force of the bullet pass by her face.

"Kakusan Zankosen - Scattering Light-Cutting Flash!" On pure instinct, Tsuruko releases a volley of chi raining down at the sharpshooter. Realizing that the person was a she, Tsuruko immediately checked on the woman. Standing over her injured body, Tsuruko looked for signs of life. The woman was alive, but her breathing was labored. Upon closer inspection, Tsuruko was absolutely sure that this was the target. Her employers would not be pleased-

"Let her go!" Tsuruko looked at the man crawling towards her... and couldn't believe her eyes.

"Keitaro..." Why couldn't she sense it before? That familiar chi was him all along, but what would he be doing here? No, now's not the time for inquisition. He obviously has some kind of bond with her target. Things just got a lot more complicated.

"I won't let you... take her!" Tsuruko didn't have a chance as she saw him brandish the gun. In that instant, Reina descended and kicked the gun out of Keitaro's hand. Reina drew her blade.

"Wait!" Tsuruko commanded.

"What're you stopping me for? He tried to kill you!" Reina reminded.

"I know him. Please, don't hurt him."

"Really? Might I ask how you know this piece of trash?"

"He's not who you think he is. Just a few months ago, he was the landlord of the apartments where Motoko is staying. I have no idea how he came to be here, but he is a friend."

"Didn't look like it to me." Reina snorted.

"I'm not discussing this right now. Where is Asuka and Subaru?"

"I left them in charge of the escape route. We need to hurry, our window to get out is closing."

"Here, carry her. We'll be heading back home first."

"Whoa, just hold on a minute. Don't we need to turn her over first?"

"Normally this would be the case, but these are unusual circumstances. Any repercussions will be mine." Reina comes and puts the Duchess over her shoulder. She starts to head back first.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Keitaro?" Tsuruko ponders. She puts him on her back and follows Reina past the war zone down below.

* * *

><p>Obviously this chapter has come out a lot faster than what I usually do. For both your sake and mine, don't expect such speedy updates.<p>

On another note, the naming of Tsuruko's attacks is based off what Motoko uses in "Love Hina" and some are from Setsuna in "Negima".

As always, any comments, questions, or concerns can be put into the form of a review.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three - Tsuruko Arc: Unraveling

"Tell me what you did to the Duchess!" said Keitaro.

"It seems you've forgotten who I am, Keitaro." Tsuruko responded. Keitaro had pushed Tsuruko against the wall. His hands were firmly on her shoulders. "Shall I remind you?"

"Motoko? No... I know your face, Tsuruko?" Keitaro reduced the strength of his grip, but he didn't fully let go.

"I'm glad that you've remembered me. Will you let me go?" Tsuruko could easily overpower Keitaro, but she wanted him to be sensible on his own accord.

"Tell me where the Duchess is! Please!" Keitaro looked as if he were on the edge of insanity. He gripped Tsuruko tighter, but his entire body seemed to shake more than just his hands.

"I will take you to her," Keitaro's face instantly lit up "but only if you answer my questions." And just as quickly, he coated a masklike expression.

"Let me warn you, Tsuruko. I am not the man I once was. When it concerns the Duchess, I'm not known for my patience." Keitaro let go of Tsuruko and stepped back a few paces. She wanted to ask many questions, but she wasn't sure where to start. He obviously wasn't the easygoing man she was introduced to. In fact, he has a sinister aura than she rather didn't care for. It rubs her the wrong way.

"I'll get straight to the point then. Why did you leave the Hinata Apartments?"

"Betrayal." Tsuruko waited a few seconds for an explanation, but it never came. He wasn't going to make this easy.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Which one?" He chided.

"I don't quite understand. Are you suggesting that there was more than one?"

"Yes."

"Did Motoko betray you?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"In many ways."

"Can you give me one?"

"She took Naru's side over mine."

"Is that the reason why you left?"

"One of them."

"Was Naru the main reason?"

"Yes."

"How did she betray you?"

"By being romantically involved with another man."

"I see..." Tsuruko stopped from asking anymore. For one, she didn't like this rapid fire Q&A. Second, she wasn't getting anything more than facts. She would've expected as least some specification on his part, a little bit of justification on why he left. He wasn't showing any clear emotion and she wasn't getting much of a reading on his chi. Radiating an orange color was a mix of emotions, a disquiet mood.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Answer me honestly, Keitaro. What happened to the man I met at the Hinata Apartments? He was much different than the person standing here before me. Serene, friendly, compassionate... these were things that easily described you. Now you're agitated, hostile, and reserved. That bothers me. I'm no stranger to betrayal. I can relate to what you've been through."

"Good for you, but I'm not about to spill my guts out to my enemy's sister."

"Is that how you see me as?"

"I would be lying if I said I didn't. There's a lot of things you don't know about me, swordswoman. But I'm not the sharing type. I've answered your questions, bring me to the Duchess."

Tsuruko took a moment to swallow those words. If any other human being, much less a man, commanded her the way Keitaro has, they would quickly learn the meaning of respect. But she also realized his words were from bitterness and not out of anger. "Very well, Keitaro. I'll take you to that woman, but a word of caution. If you take any action that is remotely suspicious, I will take you out."

Keitaro huffed in acknowledgement. Tsuruko led him through the Shinmeiryuu compound. The main household is embedded deep within a mountaintop and the structure inside was complex to someone who never lived there. This was so that any enemy that infiltrated the organization won't have an easy time recognizing the edifice, which also gave the Shinmeiryuu time for a counter attack.

"What are you planning to do to her?" Keitaro asked.

"That is official Shinmeiryuu business. You don't need to be on a need to know basis." Tsuruko rejoined.

"Payback huh?"

"No, I'm not as spiteful as you are."

"Really? You know that I would do anything for the Duchess. If anything has happened to her-"

"Quiet yourself... or you'll end up half-dead in front of the Hinata Apartments." Keitaro could only grumble. A slight smile inched on Tsuruko's lips. They arrived in a long stone hallway. Tsuruko opened the door at the end.

"Duchess..." Keitaro said breathlessly.

"Avert your eyes, Sir Galahad, or I shall do it for you." The Duchess was wearing a traditional hakama. Keitaro could only stare in disbelief.

"It suits you."

"It was not by choice, I assure you."

"Alright you love birds, we'll give you some time." Reina exited the room with Tsuruko. "So, were you able to get anything out of him?"

"It's nothing worth mentioning." Tsuruko sighed. "It's like he's a different person. I can only imagine that the malfeasance within that city had corrupted his moral fiber. But there is no doubt that something at the Hinata Apartments was the trigger that set him off."

"You say that's nothing, but I think that's a lot to go on."

"It really isn't. It's like trying to build a bridge with just wood. The little aspects that hold the bridge together are missing... but that isn't pertinent right now, were you able to get anything out of that woman?"

"A lot more than I expected. Our target declared that she isn't just a crime lord, but in fact the third princess of the Estonian Empire and the true heir to the crown."

"Honestly, that's the best she could come up with? Everyone knows that the third princess, the crown princess at that time, committed suicide after being raped." Tsuruko tried to wave it off, but the Reina's troubled face caught her off guard. "You don't actually think-"

"That she's part of the royal family? Maybe not, but it's not easy to call her a liar either. I've been with the Violet Swords longer that you have, Tsuruko. When I know somebody's lying, I'd feel it." Tsuruko contemplated the notion.

"Let's say she in fact is who she says she is. Does that change our mission?"

"It does for me."

"What do you suggest we do? The people that employed us will expect to hear our results. This can't because of your conscious, Reina. Why do you feel the need to protect that woman?"

"Because she's in love."

"Now-" Tsuruko stopped herself. That was not the answer she was expecting.

"Call me a romantic, but the first thing she said was to not hurt the man we brought in with us. She said she would forgo her life to protect his... and I felt her sincerity."

"That could just be talk, Reina." I sighed. "What do you recommend we do?"

"You're asking the wrong person. Maybe you should ask your friend."

Tsuruko cringed at the idea of asking Keitaro for help, but he would probably be more willing to cooperate with the Duchess's life on the line.


	4. Chapter 4

Tsuruko Arc - Chapter Four: The Start of Something

"Our plan is going to proceed as planned." said Tsuruko. "We're going to be handing you over to our anonymous employer and that'll be the end of it."

"Over my dead body." Keitaro stood up to his full frame in front of the Duchess. His reaction was well within her calculations. Reina was already behind him, holding a dagger at his neck.

"Sit down, my knight." the Duchess said casually.

"I'm not sending you back to certain death. I'll send you to heaven before damning myself to hell."

"The latter can be arranged." Reina pressed the flat of the blade against his neck. The coldness of the steel just reflected off Keitaro's icy demeanor.

"If they wanted me gone, they would've done so without even telling me." The Duchess grabbed Keitaro's hand. "Calm yourself, Sir Galahad."

"Is she going to take that knife off my neck?" he didn't even bother to look behind him. Keitaro looked directly at Tsuruko as if she was holding the blade. Tsuruko motioned her head slightly to the left and back. Although Reina already knew, she waited to show Tsuruko's authority. Reina stood back in the corner.

"I may consider an alternative course, if your man is willing to be cooperative." Keitaro immediately stiffened. The Duchess took notice of this.

"I can speak for myself, but not for him."

"That's too bad..." Tsuruko shook her head. Keitaro tsked with disgust.

"What do you need me to do?" he said impatiently. Hook, line, and sinker. Tsuruko now had him where she wanted him. That part of him would never change. Faced between his own safety and someone else's, he would always put others before him.

"That depends entirely upon you, Keitaro. A while back, I received some disturbing information about Motoko. I'm quite sure that you know why."

"Then you should also know that I left the Hinata Apartments half a year ago. I haven't a clue what's become of it since I've been gone."

"But you are the sole reason that she's been acting in a self-destructive manner."

"I fail to see how. When she drove me out of my home, she was absolutely euphoric. Along with the rest of them, I can't possibly imagine what she's brooding about."

"Really? You were the only man she had ever come to trust. You don't think that would have a negative impact on her?"

"And look what happened with my misplaced trust."

"Then you acknowledge that it affected her as well?"

"You already seem to know all the answers. Why are you even asking these questions?"

"Because!" Tsuruko shouted. "Because... Motoko loved you Keitaro. Knowing that, do you still believe that she hasn't regretted her actions? She would die for just a glimpse of you."

Keitaro rubbed the back of his head, averting his eyes from Tsuruko's. A few seconds passed before Keitaro regained his composure. "What happened to Naru?"

"You're asking about your ex-lover when Motoko is pain? How dare you?" Keitaro was unabated.

"Motoko's pain is of her own choosing. She chose Naru's side over mine. Now she's dealing with the consequences. That's life. She wanted to believe so badly that men are always in the wrong."

Keitaro grinned darkly. "But I guess she realized she was wrong? Good for her. It's not something you want to hear, Tsuruko. But don't you think she's become a better person now after I've left?"

Letting go of the Duchess's hand, Keitaro stood by Tsuruko, shoulder to shoulder. "I was well aware of Motoko's feelings for me, but she'd never admit to that because of her prejudice towards my gender. So, I forced her hand. I wasn't expecting a complete turnaround, but it was too much to hope for I suppose." Keitaro and Tsuruko's eyes locked over their shoulders. "I gave her a chance to return my love, but she didn't and that's the simple fact. She tore through _my_ heart before I did hers. Did you ever think about that," His mouth leaned right to her ear. "My sweet?"

She quickly took a step back. Tsuruko's cheeks were a bit flushed. She was disturbed, in more ways than one. To begin with he called her _my sweet_. Was he trying to put the moves on her? Not only that, but he was so relaxed saying it. Has this guy become a womanizer? She was embarrassed that his mere presence disturbed her. The fact that Keitaro had known about Motoko's feelings should concern her more.

"Did you play with Motoko's heart?"

"I'm sure you'd like nothing more than for me to say that I did, but I didn't. I was deeply in love with Naru. The fact that Motoko was leaning towards me, I had no control over. In hindsight, that might have been a factor in her reasoning to break away. I'm sure that for a smart woman like you, that's not hard to figure out."

Sadly, Tsuruko did understand Motoko's emotions because she's experienced it before. Love is purely fragile, easily shattered under the weight of jealousy... and jealousy comes in many deceptive forms. Instead of resenting Naru, she directed her detest towards Keitaro. She wanted to get his attention in some way. How sad that she chose the unrewarding route... But Motoko needed him more than ever. This just wasn't about her feelings, but her life.

"Come with me to the Hinata Apartments, Keitaro." A grim expression masked over his face, but his gaze turned to the Duchess. His features softened.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, my knight." the Duchess returned an equally sympathetic expression.

"I swore to keep you safe. How can I call myself yours if I can't even protect you?" he looked to Tsuruko. "If I do this, you'll let her go?"

"Yes, I'll see to it." Keitaro dropped down to his knees in front of the Duchess. He cupped her hands with his. "My lady, it seems that like you, my past has caught up to me."

"Hardly..."

"If we are to be together, this is how it must be. It pains me to be apart from you, but my soul is where you are. I'll be back soon." Keitaro kissed her on the lips, lingering there for a moment before turning away. "Let's get this over with."

"We'll be leaving now." said Tsuruko. Keitaro marched out of the room. She looked at her captive and saw the longing in her eyes.

"You'll keep him safe from harm?" she asked. Tsuruko was going to state that she isn't going to battle, but for Keitaro, it probably was.

"I don't promise anything. Some wounds need to be opened before they can heal properly."

"His wounds aren't something you can open with a blade. Opening them again may finish him."


	5. Chapter 5

Tsuruko Arc - Chapter Five: Cold Sting

"Do we really need to sit so close to each other? I'm not going to run away." said Keitaro.

"Honestly, stop acting like a child. You're Japanese, you should be used to the cramped space." Tsuruko retorted. Keitaro sighed and continued to flip through a magazine. Tsuruko silently resumed her meditation, not once opening her eyes. The close proximity did bother her too, but they were on train, the main means of transportation. No matter how hard she tried to focus on Motoko, her thoughts drifted back to those words.

_"His wounds aren't something you can open with a blade. Opening them again may finish him."_

She peeked through her right eye at Keitaro... and poked him in the ribs, instantly making him grab his side.

"Don't do that. Now who's acting like a child?" he huffed. Keitaro looked at Tsuruko's serene face and shrugged it off. For a moment they looked like a lovey-dovey couple teasing each other.

"Still the same Keitaro." Tsuruko thought. "The menacing aura that you emitted before has become a shallow cloud. Once you get comfortable with people, you become lackadaisical. Now that you know the Duchess is safe, you're an open book."

_"My sweet."_

Tsuruko's cheeks flushed with a little rosy tint. "Why would he say that to her? Was it just to unnerve her? Or did he actually have some interest in her? But that couldn't be right. He was doing this for that foreigner he obviously cared a lot for..."

Shaking her head, Tsuruko gave herself a mental slap. "Shame on me! This isn't something that I should be thinking about... Is it because I've been alone for so long?" Tsuruko felt a deep feeling inside of her. She couldn't describe it, but it was familiar. This feeling was just like the time before she got married, not quite love, but infatuation.

Tsuruko was brought up to follow traditional Japanese morals of the warrior class... meaning to follow obligation, politeness and duty above all else. It wasn't until she was Motoko's age that she first felt the throes of love. The first time she met her future husband was a hurricane of emotions all at once.

Traditionally, young practitioners of the Shinmei-ryuu school were separated by gender. Outside of the immediate family, students aren't allowed contact with the opposite sex. Since the founding of the school, when a female and male student come into contact to each other for the first time, they've been engaged. Tsuruko was no different.

Her experience in love was quite similar to the fairytales. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, and get married. In hindsight, she was one of the luckier members of her clan. Marriage was and still is considered as duty rather than an act of sacrament. There was a connection between her and her husband. But her fairytale was a fake.

Prior to her grandmother's generation, the fabled Annex was used as a tool to insure that the marriages were successful regardless of sentiment. The association between the Urashima's and the Aoyama's ran much deeper than Keitaro or Motoko realized... That was why she didn't think that marriage between the both of them was so unrealistic. Even now, after generations of dilution, the blood in both of them calls out to each other. Perhaps, even to her...

"So, what do you want me to do when we get there?" asked Keitaro

"Pardon?" Tsuruko snapped out of her reverie.

"Obviously, you'd have an ideal scenario in mind where Motoko spills her guts out and I would feel inclined to forgive her. Thereby allowing me to return to my lady as fast as possible."

"Don't presume to know my intentions, Keitaro. Doing so may crush your hopes." Keitaro laughs. "You think that's humorous?"

"Let's just say I've heard something to that effect before."

"The Duchess, as you call her?"

"Yeah."

"Just how did you come to know her?" Keitaro thought about the question for a moment.

"The Duchess extended her hand to me when no one else did. She was my savior when I was ready to call it quits. My lady took me, a failure, under her care. I owe her my life."

"You don't believe that you're a failure."

"The term fits me perfectly. I couldn't make both my dreams come true. I couldn't make it into Tokyo U, but I also couldn't make the woman I loved happy either. I could put all the blame on Naru for cheating on me, but it takes two people to build a relationship. Obviously, she didn't trust me enough to tell me what I was doing wrong. Ultimately, I was blind to her pain. Still, I don't have any regrets. I've moved on with my life and that's the way it goes sometimes."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"You've moved past the torment within you, but I'm bringing you back to the birth of your agony."

"I can't say that I'm happy about it. Especially when I'm being coerced like this, but I guess it's time to bury things long since dead."

"Is that how you see Motoko?" Tsuruko said defensively.

"As dead? To a lesser extent yes. She's not a part of my world anymore and neither is anyone else from my old life."

"What if she still wants to be a part of your world?"

"I'm not even suited for my world, which begs the question how you are."

"Don't change the subject."

"Fine, but do you want Motoko to have this kind of life?"

"No, but-"

"There's no buts. Look, Tsuruko. Just accept the fact that no matter what happens when I go back to the Hinata Apartments, it won't turn out to be the way you wanted. I didn't leave that place just because of Naru. She was the reason I stayed in the first place. I stayed for love in an otherwise black element. I've already changed. Don't expect more from me... You'll never know what it truly means to be lost. I've found my way miles away from home."

"But here you are, coming home." Keitaro turned his gaze away and covered his eyes with his hand, but Tsuruko saw the tears rolling down his face. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, the Hinata Apartments would always be his home. It was supposed to be a place of comfort where you were always welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

Tsuruko Arc - Chapter Six: When Angel's Cry

"Hey, Haruka." said Keitaro

"Hey Haruka my ass! You don't call or write. Not so much as a damn text. Now you just appear out of the blue like this?"

"I could just turn around and leave." Keitaro turned his back. He felt the instant embrace of Haruka behind him.

"Idiot..."

"Now, now, don't start. Name calling was one of the reasons I left." Haruka laughed through her tears. Tsuruko thought it would be inappropriate to intervene. She stayed back to make herself look like a passerby. Tsuruko expected to have a slew of emotional reunions, but she didn't count Haruka as being one of them. It pulled on her heartstrings to see that even the most hardened of women, could still cry.

"You look... good." Keitaro turned to face Haruka.

"Really?" He stretched the length of his long hair. "Considering where I've been, I'll have to take that as a compliment."

"Not just that, I could feel all of you're... ripped muscles."

Keitaro lifted his shirt to look down at his six-pack. "I didn't notice. Must've been all that training I did."

"And just what have you been training as, a bodybuilder?"

"You think I could win? I think I'm too small for that."

"You've definitely changed."

"I'm glad you noticed... I'm not here for you though."

"I noticed." Haruka looked over Keitaro's shoulder. "Is she the one that brought you back?"

"Something like that."

"Motoko's not the only one who wants to see you, you know."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. One thing at a time."

"I'll let you settle things then, but don't you dare scurry off before I get my chance." With that Haruka went back inside the tea shop.

"I presume your finished." said Tsuruko.

"What're you, my shadow? Don't stand behind me." They began to make their climb towards the Hinata Apartments.

Tsuruko just passed the biggest hurdle. She wasn't sure how Haruka would take to her being here, but it seems she's been given permission to enter.

"Are you going to be like that until we see Motoko?"

"I didn't want to interfere with your reunion."

"You mean you didn't want to rub Haruka the wrong way, but I'm glad that you stayed back. I don't want to explain the real reason why I'm here anyway."

They reached the top of the stairs. A familiar brunette stood outside of the building, sweeping the front area. Tsuruko made herself scarce.

"I definitely didn't expect for you to be here, Mutsumi." Mutsumi dropped the broom in her hands and brought her hands over her face.

"Keitaro!"

"In the flesh."

"Oh, I just knew you'd eventually come back. I didn't want to miss it... Can I hug you?"

"No."

"I guess I hoped for too much." She hung her head.

"I was just teasing, come here." Keitaro stretched his arms wide open. Mutsumi ran up to him... and got a lot more than a hug. Mutsumi's lips were planted on his. He had to give her a slight push to break the kiss.

"Hold on a sec, Mutsumi. You can't just come up to me and do that. There's procedure for these things you know." Her eyes gleamed at him. "Your puppy dog face is cute, but I'm with someone now." Mutsumi burst into tears and sobs.

"I'm so sorry, Keitaro. I never ever wanted to hurt you. Please, believe me."

Keitaro pulled her closer. Mutsumi's arms were folded between their chests. She laid her head on top of his shoulder.

"Don't cry so much. You're making me all wet." she cried even harder. "I'm still mad at you for not telling me about that guy Naru was with."

"I'm sorry."

"And for not trusting me."

"I'm sorry."

"And... for kissing me."

"I'm not sorry." Keitaro laughed, making Mutsumi laugh as well.

"Do you forgive me?" Keitaro cupped Mutsumi's face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"No, but I won't hold it against you." He combed through her hair with his fingers. Mutsumi didn't understand what he meant, but she felt comforted by the gentleness of his actions.

"Nii-san!"

Keitaro looked at Kanako, standing in front of the entrance. "Well now, that's definitely another face I didn't expect to see. Come and give your brother a hug." For the second time, Keitaro didn't just get a hug. He tried nudging Kanako like he did Mutsumi, but she was strongly resisting. Keitaro essentially threw Kanako off of him. He rubbed off the spittle on his lips. "Goddammit, everybody just needs to stop kissing me."

"Who else kissed you?" Mutsumi posed with glee.

"You bitch!"

"Kanako? I don't remember teaching you that."

"But-"

"Don't 'but' me. Now I want you to walk straight down to the tea shop and stay there till I'm done."

"But-"

"Kanako." Keitaro said darkly. Kanako hung her head and started to make her way down. "Mutsumi, can you go buy some watermelons? I haven't had any in ages." He said with a splendid smile.

"Huh...? Okay..." Mutsumi also started to make her way down. A blush was clearly on her face.  
>"You've certainly grasped on how to deal with the female gender." said Tsuruko.<p>

"You keep skulking behind me and I'll turn my magic on you." She jabbed his side with the hilt of her sword, making him instantly grab his side in pain.

"What?" Tsuruko narrowed her gaze. "Look, there's no point in me getting mad. It makes things a lot easier for me if I just treat them like I was there lover. And before you ask, yes, I'll be doing the same thing to Motoko." Tsuruko closed her mouth with an audible clench.

"You'd think an Aoyama is going to fall for your obvious farce?"

"Would you like to find out, sweetheart?" Tsuruko looked the other way.

"I didn't think so. But don't worry, I'm not going to be putting any of my moves on her." Keitaro and Tsuruko entered into the Hinata Apartments. "Huh... I thought I'd see Kitsune laid out on the couch or Shinobu in the kitchen. At least Suu out ready to pounce on me."

"What folly, did you expect your tenants to act the same once you left?"

"No, I expected them to be on their knees, begging for me to take them back."

"Your sarcasm is quite annoying."

"I was being quite serious. I worked like a damn slave for them and for what? A shove out the front door. And that's putting it mildly mind you."

"I thought you left because of Naru."

"No, that's what trigged me to leave. Didn't Motoko tell you about that? By the look on your face, I guess not."

"And what is it that I don't know?"

"It's trivial. A small matter really. Naru apparently had a paper from dear Grandma Hina that gave her the right to kick out the manager. Namely, me. And of course, all the girls rallied around her. Including Motoko, just in case you were wondering."

"Why are you so unnaturally calm?"

"Because if I lost it, I just might kill everyone here." Tsuruko paused. She wasn't sure if he was joking or not... and that's what scared her. This was the Keitaro that unnerved her. The one that seemed to carry all the hate of the world on his sleeve. "Shall we go see Motoko?"

"Yes." Tsuruko followed Keitaro. As he brings her closer to her sister, she couldn't help but contemplate what Motoko would think of the new Keitaro. Which side of himself will he show? The fake womanizer that'll whisper sweet nothings in her ear or the vengeful demon that enjoys human suffering...

Of all the women he's met so far, none of them hurt him as deeply as the ones that resided in this building. She understood that it was normal for Keitaro to feel resentment, but she was scared how that would bleed into the eminent meeting between him and Motoko. It was such a cruel double irony. Motoko was the one that hurt Keitaro, but it's going to be Keitaro that will either rescue her or send her deeper into the pit of guilt.

"You'd better go first." said Keitaro. Tsuruko knocked on Motoko's door.

"Motoko?" No answer. "Open the door, Motoko." Again, no answer.

Keitaro opened the sliding door. "Motoko?" Nothing could've prepared them for what they saw. Keitaro grabbed Tsuruko's arm before she reached her sister. He looked into Tsuruko's eyes, telling her to stay put. Keitaro walked to Motoko. The smell of rotting blood, together with the condition of her body, churned his stomach, but that didn't even make him hesitate. He gathered her scarred, naked body in his arms. Keitaro knew she wasn't dead just by looking at her, but she was damn near close.

Tsuruko felt her knees go out from under her. She focused all of her focus on the flickering chi of Motoko. "What did you do, Motoko?" she whimpered. How could she be too late? After the luck she had in finding Keitaro... This was his fault. If he never left! Tsuruko unsheathed her sword and came at Keitaro.

"Who..." Motoko uttered. Tsuruko had stopped her sword mid-swing.

"Motoko." She refocused her chi sense. Unable to notice it before, she saw that Keitaro's chi was gradually restoring Motoko's. How it was possible, she didn't care. What mattered now was Motoko.

"Hey there, sweetheart." Keitaro's tone of voice was soothing.

"Please don't wake me." Motoko sobbed.

"Sorry babe, but your already awake. Look who else is here to see you."

"Ane-ue..."

"I'm here, Motoko-chan."

Keitaro stood up with Motoko in his arms. "Let's get you down into the hot springs and clean you up."

"I'll do it." Tsuruko stretched out her arms.

"Sorry, but I'm not letting her go till I know she's better. You're welcome to follow though." Keitaro moved past her before she could object. Tsuruko followed him.

"How could I have lost control like that?" she thought. "I'd never felt such a reaction before... Could this be because of their bloodline? But that shouldn't matter now. Someone has been abusing Motoko and she wanted to know who... For Motoko to fall into such a state though... I have just too much to think about. I'll have to meditate on it later."

Entering the changing room, Tsuruko starts to undress. Keitaro proceeds to the bath and sits Motoko on one of the outside shower stations. He checks the water until it becomes warm. Filling up a bucket, Keitaro dumps the water down from her shoulders. Motoko screams out in pain.

"What are you doing?" Tsuruko shouts into the bath.

"Sorry, Motoko. I thought it would've been better to just get it over with rather than trying to make you slowly endure the pain."

"I'll take over from here." Tsuruko wished she could say that, but she couldn't separate them at this critical stage. Keitaro's chi was the only thing keeping Motoko breathing.

"Try to at least dip your feet into the spring, I'll be back in a sec." Motoko jumped and wrapped her arms around Keitaro's hips. Keitaro sighed.

"Can you get me a towel, Tsuruko?" Tsuruko tossed him one.

Keitaro wrapped the towel around his waist. He started to strip off his clothing. Motoko turned her head to the side in embarrassment.

"You can look now." Motoko blushed even more furiously. Keitaro picked her up. "I'll probably need your help Tsuruko."

"Of course." She walked over to them. Tsuruko was also naked, but she had the towel wrapped from her chest down. Motoko was the only one without cover.

"This is going to hurt like crazy, but you'll need to endure it. I want you to grip each other's hands before going in." The sisters held their hands firmly. Keitaro and Tsuruko stepped into the hot water. Keitaro slowly dipped Motoko down, Tsuruko followed in kind. For Motoko, the pain was so excruciating she had to clench her teeth to stop the screams behind her throat.

"Bite down on my shoulder." said Keitaro. Motoko was already squeezing Tsuruko's hand as hard as she could. Tears of physical suffering were streaming down her face. Motoko reached for Keitaro's hand and gripped it as tightly. Slowly, the extremity of the pain receded and Motoko loosened her grip. "Good girl." Keitaro set Motoko between him and Tsuruko. Tsuruko laid her head on Motoko's. With all three of their hands connected, for a moment, they looked like a family.


	7. Chapter 7

Tsuruko Arc - Chapter Seven: Resonance

"How long has it been since I felt like this? The weight of nature's fury seemed much heavier before." Keitaro looked down at Motoko, laying her head on his lap. The last time Keitaro thought of her as just another pretty damsel was when he first laid eyes on her. That thought disappeared just as quickly when he felt the full extent of her wrath. Several years have passed and he still looks at her like a hellion. Even in the underworld, his memories of her caused him to shiver and he had the scars to prove it. Defenseless as she was now, he could barely stand her.

"The weight of her? Or the weight of her sword?" Tsuruko questioned.

"There's not much difference in my mind. Do you consider yourself different from the blade you hold dear?"

"Is that how you see me as, Keitaro? A weapon?" Tsuruko laid her sword in front of her.

"Do you consider yourself different from that? I certainly don't. Behind that picturesque visage is a honed killer instinct."

"Not a killer?"

"Are you a killer?"

"If I am protecting myself from my enemy and they die in the process, does that make me a killer?"

"I will admit there is a distinction between killer and murderer. But you can't deny you've been trained. A master such as yourself should be able to incapacitate, not kill."

"You make it much simpler than it sounds and much more dangerous. Would you walk away if an enemy were at your back?"

"And if I were your opponent, how would you treat with me?"

"Oh I don't know, perhaps I'll thrash you for a bit and send you on your way."

Keitaro rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm glad that I could appeal to your motherly senses."

"Are you calling me old?" Tsuruko's said unintentionally harsh.

"If the shoe fits..." Keitaro said with a grin. He heard a small snicker from the person under him too.

"If you don't mind..." Tsuruko crawled towards the couple, lithely, with the grace of a feline. Keitaro averted his gaze from the curve of her breasts, but was far too late not to think about allure of the woman coming to him. Monogamous, check, but dead, nope. Tsuruko was right in front of him, on the border of being on top. Keitaro inhaled the sweet fragrance of her and found himself longing. Tsuruko took note of his expression for a moment, before pouncing on Motoko. Motoko burst out laughing as her sister tickled her. "Faking incapacity was something I never taught you, Motoko."

"I'm... sorry." Motoko stood up in a meditative position, right beside Keitaro. "I just wanted to stay put for a while longer."

"Well, we both have some catching up to do. I'll be down at the tea shop." Keitaro stood up, but Motoko reached for him.

"Please, stay." she said pleading.

"I'm not going to disappear." Without even turning to look at her, Keitaro swung his arm out of Motoko's grip and left. Silence filled the room. Motoko struggled to keep her composure, even while her body quivered. The oceans of emotion within her mind threatened to overwhelm her. How could she believe that he would treat her like before? The kind soul that she crippled may have healed, but not without the scars. She sensed the cold steel beneath the surface and had just felt the icy sting.

"Do you love him?" Tsuruko questioned. A simple question that made Motoko unable to hold back the rushing tears.

"I... never realized just how much I needed him. I was so happy when he came back, but now I just want to die."

"Don't be melodramatic, Motoko. It will get you nowhere with me."

"Do you find this melodramatic?" Motoko bared her scared arm, showing the hacked skin in all its grotesque glory. Tsuruko covered her mouth in horror. "But your right, Ane-ue. I don't have what it takes to go all the way." Motoko let loose her sleeves, wiping away the remaining tears and covering the frightening scene underneath.

"You did all of that to yourself?" Tsuruko asked with a shaky voice.

"Some of it was my due atonement from the current manager. The punishment I will not hide from." She said while releasing her sleeves.

"Punishment? What kind of punishment would leave you clinging to life? Aren't you an Aoyama?"

"I am a sinner now before I am an Aoyama. Repenting is all I can live for so that someday, it will be enough for him to forgive me."

* * *

><p>"Who are you and what've you done with Keitaro?"<p>

Keitaro choked back a laugh. It didn't surprise him at all that Haruka would say something like that. Just a minute ago she tried to lightly intimidate him into telling him his second life story. Accept that he didn't take kindly to intimidation, family or otherwise. He shot back a menacing glare of his own, a skill he had developed in the gangster underworld. After a few moments of electric tension, Haruka dropped her expression and replaced it with her usual unreadable face.

"Let's just say he got some backbone."

"I didn't know that it was missing."

"Come on now, Haruka. You can't tell me you didn't notice me crashing and burning all over the compound. What did you think it was? Baseballs? Meteors?"

"Don't get smart with me, boy."

"Oh I can do so much more than that, old lady." Keitaro caught Haruka's fist inches away from his face. It was a half assed attempt, but the force still made his hand sting. Smiling, he pulled her forward, the space between them was so close it could be bridged with their breaths. Haruka blew a mouthful of smoke, making him pull back, away from her noxious fumes.

"So far, I'm not impressed." Putting out her light in the ashtray, Haruka proceeded to light another one.

Keitaro stared blankly at the teashop walls as he spoke. "I haven't been gone long enough for you to _be_ impressed you mean."

"How much longer were you planning on staying away?"

"At least a few more years until things settled down. I think I'd have been gone a few decades by the way my life was shaping up to be though."

"Twenty years?" Haruka coughed.

"More like thirty." he said with a grin. "But all of that doesn't mean much at this point. My future is on hold and my past has caught up to me a lot sooner than I expected. Rather than paying the price later, I'm paying it now."

"And what price is that?"

"The price of leaving the girls behind." Keitaro stood up and leaned his back against the wall. "One would have to think that with the capabilities of those girls, one or all of them would be coming after me. I'm kind of surprised that it took this long."

"Wait a minute. You thought they'd come after you. After the way you left?"

"Well, maybe not Shinobu or Sara. Certainly not Naru, but maybe Su or Kitsune. Why even Motoko if you have the imagination."

"And what would've you done?"

"No point in thinking about it now. Tsuruko's one dark horse I didn't see coming. She's got me in a pretty tight spot too... What happened after I left, Haruka? The place is empty."

"That doesn't sound like somebody who was planning to be gone for thirty some years."

"Haruka..."

"Can you blame me?" Haruka sighed. "When it comes down to it, the only thing that really matters is that Motoko is the only one who stayed... The only one with enough cheek to stay and deal with Kanako."

"I was afraid of that." Keitaro rubbed his temple in annoyance. "Why the hell didn't she just leave? I barely looked inside the apartments, but I could tell that the place hasn't been tended to. If that wasn't enough, Kanako's been putting her hands on her too."

"Not all of it has been Kanako, you know."

"Don't _even_ get me started on _that_. Damn swordswomen. There's no telling what they're capable of. If Tsuruko wants Kanako's head on a pike, it's going to be difficult to handle her. I don't even know if I can handle her if she's serious. I'm not at that level yet." Keitaro looked right at Haruka.

"Oh no, I'm not getting involved with that. It's her own damn fault if it comes down to that."

"She's your niece and my sister. Even if the devil himself came for her soul, I'd be right there to stop him. Though the devil we face might have the visage of a woman."


End file.
